The 2nd Brigade held the outpost at Henningsleben, and came under attack by the two battalions of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha regiment at approximately 0900 hours. The outposts fell back on Langensalza, then back again across the Unstruth onto the main Hanoveran position.

General Von Fliess then brought up the main Prussian body and prepared for an attack on the Hanoveran positions. A column of Landwehr moved against the Hanoveran left wing, another smaller force moved against the right wing, while six battalions moved against the centre. The Prussians had less artillery than their opponents, and Von Fliess was relying upon the superiority of the needle-gun to offset his disadvantage.

In spite of heavy losses, the Hanoveran troops stopped the Prussians and began an advance of their own. The river proved a severe obstacle to all concerned, and while the Hanoverans had the opportunity to inflict a stinging defeat, it was only with their cavalry that they achieved any effective execution.

In a dramatic encounter reminiscent of Waterloo, the Duke of Cambridge's Dragoons, and the Guard Cuirassier managed to engage two units of Prussian infantry, who had formed square in the Bettlerthal valley in order to cover the withdrawal. The Dragoons and Guards, in a spirit of great rivalry, both charged each square repeatedly, but while penetrating, the squares and capturing a battery of artillery, the infantry were able to draw off. The Hanoveran cavalry pursued for three miles, but were unsupported by their infantry, who were having great difficulty crossing the Unstruth.

Losses were about 1,392 Hanoverans killed and wounded, with about the same amount for the Prussians. Additionally, the Hanoverans took about 900 Prussian prisoners and a number of guns. These would be returned to Prussia shortly, as part of the surrender terms.

Despite her victory, the Hanoveran position was untenable; with less than 20,000 troops, they were surrounded by over 40,000 Prussians.

On reviewing the casualty lists, Von Moltke was to observe that the Landwehr battalions averaged about half as many casualties as the regular battalions, thus proving to him and his fellow reformers that "this army of bankers and oculists" would be best taken out of the line and set up as a proper reserve. This change would be effected by 1870, employing the Landwehr to garrison fortresses and guard the main army's lines of communication, thus allowing the regulars to mass into the million-man army that descended upon an unsuspecting France.

Terrain

The landscape is composed of low, undulating hills, except to the area south of Langensalza, where the valleys are quite deep. The river Unstrut had been artificially straightened and embanked in its course from Thamsbruck to a point some several hundred yards below Merxleben, making it extremely difficult to cross (the Hanoveran right got most of their ammunition wet trying to cross) except by the bridges. The river was running to a depth of about four or five feet. On each side of the river there is flat meadow for about 40 – 50 feet, then a bank of about four feet high, so that the dykes on both sides of the course form a parapet.

Battle of Langensalza: 26 June 1866

Introduction
Order of Battle
The Historical Battle
Large Map (slow: 170K)
Jumbo Map (extremely slow: 671K)
Wargaming Langensalza